Timor retrospect

I have been asked to give a talk this coming Saturday about my time in Timor and I am now just downloading pictures from my Flickr site and refreshing my memory (especially of places with exotic names).

Just posting some pictures (some of them repeated on this blog) as a way to help myself prepare for the talk... (note: do bear in mind, these pics are at least 3 years old so I m not vouching to reflect 100% accuracy as the situation might have improved (?) by now)


Probably the most significant time of my stay in Timor was the civil crisis in 2006. I witnessed the entire meltdown - - from the early tensions to the actual cross fire - - and was up close to the conflict as I was part of the many UN staff trapped in (safety of the)UN compound while gun battles took place outside.

My most vivid memories: a) witnessing dead and injured being carried into the compound and helping out in first aid, seeing people (two friends even) with bullet wounds and treating them b) picking up a bullet that had zinged over our heads and hit the zinc roof above us as we left the "container" offices that we worked in to more cemented/concrete buildings for shelter c) staying overnight in the Unicef office, with the Internet as refuge - blogging away and offending the hell out of the powers to be in Singapore with my angst-filled entries.

For some time after, I could not stop myself from jumping or looking for cover when anything that sounds remotely like mortar firing went off - even back in Sg.


Read original entry here

This goes back to Indonesian times when Timor was still fighting the resistance war, which ended only in 1999.

Soldiers used to send freedom fighters to 'Jakarta' by pushing them over the cliffs, to their deaths. Their wives would be told: "Your husband has gone to Jakarta". To this day, you will still find bones of those who were sent a-flying at the bottom of the cliffs, and many people still stop by Jakarta 1 and Jakarta 2 to pay their respects. It's chilling to imagine that these awful killings happened to a country so near to ours.

The Timorese people remain marked by the 20 year old conflict - you can't help but admire these people who have seen so much death, fighting, resistance, time and time again. It's no wonder that for many - conflict resolution still means settling the problem with a parang or the fist. During Indonesian times, talking didn't do them much good - they saw how the UN stood by as killings continued in the country for some 20 years. When I interviewed two 18-year-olds two years ago for a UNICEF magazine, they pointed out to me that even though they were only 18, they had already seen two major violent crisis in their lives - first in 1999-2000 and then again in 2006.



That's filmmaker Max Stahl (crouching) and Father Maubere taking a shot of him. Both men played important roles in Timor's independence. I know Max's story much better, cos I spent 6 days with him on the (bumpy)roads of Timor when we made a short documentary together for UNICEF in 2005.

Max first began filmming Timor when he and Kirsty Sword (Xanana's wife) were young undercover reporters sent into Indonesian-ruled Timor to unveil the human rights atrocities happening and not being reported. He went back repeatedly, and on November 12, 1991, he was part of the group that the Indonesian soldiers fired upon in close range at the Santa Cruz Cemetery.
Read the Santa Cruz Massacre entry here

Sebastiao Gomes, an 18-year-old boy had been killed two weeks before by the Indonesians at Motael Church while protesting for independence. So on his funeral (12 Nov), a huge group of Timorese had gathered to walk with his coffin to Santa Cruz cemetery, as a sign of protest. Unknown to them, the soldiers had laid an ambush, completely surrounding the graveyard. They fired indiscriminately killing an unknown number of people, injuring foreign reporters as well - who were later, accused by the US govt of fabricating the entire event. Max (who escaped the bullets) had the wherewithal to film and then hide his tape in the ground, surrounding his camera to the soldiers. They destroyed another reel inside the camera, and days later Max returned, dug it up and sent, the first physical proof of the Indonesian's atrocities to the world. This video tape has been credited to be one of the most powerful evidence that demanded politicians to stop pretending that all was fine in Timor. That's why until today, Max is hailed as a hero to the Timorese. He remains in Timor, ever passionate about filmmaking and documenting the country's progress.



Children. They are truly the future of the nation. And it can be quite painful seeing how so many of them may never ever get to realise their full potential. This is the reason why so many NGOs are focused on helping children - in the bid to set things right for the future - lay the right foundation. Very simple it seems: give them nutrition, healthcare, education, and care and you should really not go wrong. But so many things can go wrong. Especially when power-hungry adults get into the picture. During the build up to the 2006 crisis, we saw so many children being "used" during political protests - some were harmed when things turned violent. Each time, the knife seems to cut deeper and I wonder about the scars they suffer.


My entry on Moses


See Moses? He has a slash across his head courtesy of a machete during the 1999 crisis. He will forever be pint-sized too, because of chronic malnutrition.

What's heartening is that I do see more and more of the children of the 1999 violence being given opportunities through scholarships (from the US, Australia and NZ). Many of the Timorese I worked with in UNICEF were so bright and had so much potential. One of them began her "career" as a cleaner at the UN Medical Clinic to becoming the Principal Secretary of the UNICEF representative. Now, she's on a scholarship in NZ studying and i hope, and I think, she will probably become a prominent figure in the near future. So intelligent, so enthusiastic, so resilient. But still, outside Dili, there remains hundred of thousands of children who will not be as lucky. I only pray that with the slow improvements, more will be saved each year....



One of the literacy classes taking place in Gurusa, Quelicai, Baucau (east of Timor) - for those who are not in formal school classes - because they are too old, or can't be spared from chores, or too far away to walk to school....

OKAY, I am waay to sleepy to continue on...

But here's a list of recommended books that I have personally read and enjoyed:

From the Place of the Dead: The Epic Struggles of Bishop Belo of East Timor

Plenty of narrative to bring you back to the days of struggle and also good background on Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes who was Bishop Belo's predecessor Read more about him here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinho_da_Costa_Lopes

East Timor: A Rough Passage to Independence


Jim still remains ever vested about Timor and continues to be active on ETAN (the East Timor Action Network) mailing list, where other notable activists continue to keep the dream alive - - cos independence does not mark the end of the struggle - - the struggle continues to bring the hopes and dreams of Timorese people to reality. Jim's blog: http://jasdunn.bigblog.com.au/index.do

A Woman of Independence: A Story of Love and the Birth of a New Nation

And who can resist reading a tale of activism turned romance? :-) Kirsty describes with much detail how love blossomed between Xanana and her while she acted as undercover, and then helped to hide Timorese activists on the run while working in Indonesia. I really admire Kirsty, having interviewed and spoken to her at length - up at their residence and many times swam with her brood at Hotel Esplanada. She speaks fluent Bahasa and Tetum and really has heart for the people. She founded Alola Foundation and continues to play an active part in empowering women. Stellar woman.

The Crossing: A Story of East Timor

One of my favourite books on Timor: very mystical and gives a great backdrop to the entire superstition of Timor. Beautiful. A must read to understand the Timorese psyche.

Aiight, i am beat. Gotta hit the sack. Good night and Good Luck.